sewing 101: machine needle types

This may be an obvious post for some, but for the very beginning seamstress, this information will save you! I think most of us have come home with a knit fabric and ruined it by sending it through the sewing machine with a regular needle. Fabric determines the needle you should use. Get it right and sewing through anything will be a breeze!

I have 4 kinds of needles in my collection. I always buy Schmetz if it is an option. I like the little cases they come in and I have found their quality is excellent.

Universal– My normal needles, for normal sewing. And by normal I mean cotton. It’s just my go-to needle if I am not working with something fancy or tough. Not good for knits and delicate fabrics. I’ve been known to break these when sewing through too many layers.

Stretch– Stretch needles are for knits. The shape of the needle lets it slip right through the knitted stitches without snagging. If you have ever used a normal needle on a stretchy fabric, you’ve probably had lots of snagging and ugly stitches!

Heavy Duty – If you find yourself breaking needles a lot, you may need a heavy duty needle to pile through your fabric. These are great for denim and other rough fabrics. I use them often when I am sewing through a lot of layers. However if you use them on a delicate fabric or even a quilting cotton the needle will leave big holes, so make sure to switch it out!

Microtex Sharp – For sewing delicates such as chiffons, violes, silks, etc. The needle’s point is extra sharp so it slides through the fine threads in the fabric, instead of catching and tearing them.

There are other specialty needles too, for leather and other types of fabrics. But these are the four I always have on hand!

What is your favorite kind of needle? Mine is definitely the heavy duty/jeans…for when I’m extreme sewing. ;)

Reader Interactions

11 Comments

This post is really helpful. I have a friend who is brand new at sewing (I am still pretty new too) and I plan on sharing this with her. I love your posts about really basic sewing things. Maybe you can do a post on other needles in the future?

I generally just use universal needles…it suits what I do : ) Although… I did learn the knit fabric/needle combo the hard way ; ) and I do keep some heavier duty ones around in case I’m feeling dangerous..haha!

i prefer to use sharps for wovens, because they’re actually designed for them. sharps are just that, sharp, and will piece woven fabrics smoothly.

i use ballpoint needles for knits, which some companies just refer to as stretch. they have a rounded point, so that the needle does not pierce the the fabric and risk snagging the knit, it actually slides between the threads of the fabric.

universal needles are a slightly rounded sharp needle. universal needles are, as indicated, universal, and will in theory work for most fabrics, but aren’t the best for any fabrics, if that makes sense.

i’ve been sewing for a long time, and needles are one of those things that i’ve gotten pickier about as i’ve tried different fabrics, and seen how the needle can affect my project. i’m also pretty darn anal about switching my needles – i totally didn’t switch my needles often enough when i started sewing!

That’s really helpful. I use the “normal” and “heavy duty” but I was never aware of ones for delicate silks and knits…and yes I have spent many frustrating hours picking out unsightly stitches…I always used “normal”, it can be done if you go at a painstakingly slow speed but who wants to do that!? I shall be having a good nose online for some as my local fabric store only seems to sell the two I use! :/

I am curious about how long to use a needle. I never know about that. I can’t just throw it away after a project, I mark it used or lightly used and keep it. I’m sure there is a finite amount of sewing it should be used for, but not sure what it is.

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Hello friends!

My name is Kate, a twenty something fashion lover and mother of two. When I’m not chasing kids you can find me at my sewing table or daydreaming up new designs. You can read more about me here. Thank you for visiting!